Snow-guard



(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. H. HILLBR.

SNOW GUARD.

No. 502,490. Patented Aug. 1, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 21 J. H. HILLBR.

SNOW GUARD. No. 502,490. v Patented Aug, 1, 1893.

Wfl'qesses L 5 v 2 or UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. HILLER, OF HYDE'PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SNOW-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,490, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed April 3. 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. HILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow- Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in snow guards, and to that class of guards which are made of wire bent into the desired form, and adapted to be inserted within the joints of the slates or shingles on the roofs of buildings, and to project upward above the butt of the slate or shingle which overlaps the joint in which the guard is placed. These guards cause the snow to remain upon the roof until it melts and runs off in the form of water, thuspreventing the danger of accidents by snow slides. I-leretofore these guards have been made with a sharpened orpointed spike at one end, made of thewire, which is adapted to be driven into the boarding of the roof just above the upper end of the lap of the shingles or slates, and have been bent into a coil at the opposite end, which coil is bent at right angles to the body of the wire and in a line with the lower edge of the butt of the slate or shingle. The guards not only prevent the snow from sliding on the roots, but furnish means of support for the staging used when shingling or slating the roof, or when making repairs, and they also furnish steps to assist telegraph linemen and firemen in climbing the roofs.

The guards as made heretofore are weak, and are liable to be bent down against ,the roof when used as a staging support, or to facilitate the climbing of the roof, and thus rendered useless. To obviate this defect in the strength of the guard is the principal object of my present invention, and I accomplish this object by so bending the lower end or the exposed part of the wire guard as to form a brace from the upper edge of this exposed part to a point on the root below the same.

My invention is carried out as follows, refin Fig. 1.

Serial No. 468,827. (No model.)

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents, in perspective view, a small portion of a roof provided with my improved guards. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the guard alone. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of the same as seen from the lower end of the guard. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the guard when provided with a hook to attach it to aroof made of angle iron bars to which the slates are attached.

Fig. 5 represents a similar view of the guard when adapted to hook over the top of aslate. Fig.6 represents a plan of the guard provided with aloop and adapted to be attached to the roof by a nail or screw. Fig. 7 represents a similar view of the guard provided with a hook adapted to hook around the nails which attach the slates to the root.

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

The guard is made of wire of a size and material best adapted to the use to which it is to be put. The parta of the wire is to rest in the joints between two adjacent slates or shingles A of a course, and the part b, bent at an approximately right angle to the part a and pointed at b is adapted to be driven into the boarding B of the roof as usual, and substantially as shown in Fig. l. The wire forming the guard is bent at c at approximately a right angle to the part a, but in an opposite direction to the part b, so as to, cause the part d of the wire to project above the surface of the roof when the guard is in place as shown The wire is further bent at 6, so that it will cause the part f to run parallel to the surface of the roof and in a line with the lower edge of the shingle or slate covering the joint in which the part or rests; it is further bent at 9 so that the part 72. will extend obliquely to the roof below the other parts of the guard and into the joint between the shingles in which the part arests; and finally, the wire is bent at 'i causing the part to extend upward in said joint until it nearly if not quite touches the bend at 0. Thus it will be seen that the part h of the guard forms a brace or support for the parts of the same 7 which project above the surface of the roof and against which the snow, &c., rests, and by which it is supported. It will also be seen that when the part is is bent upward toward the bend c it will present a smooth rounded surface to rest against the slate or shingle below and will prevent the liability of having the rough end of the part 70 dig into the slate or shingle. By having the part 70 of the guard extend-and rest against the bend cit forms a support for the part h when it is hit from below.

I do not wish to confine myself to the ex act form in which the various parts of the guard are bent, as shown, on the drawings as they may be made into different form and still embody the essential features of my invention,which consists in providing the guard with a brace or support, as h extending 0bliquely from the upper part of the guard exposed above the surface of the roof to the roof below when the guard is in position, and in further strengtheningthe guard byextending the lower end of the brace in a line with the surface of the roof, until it touches or nearly touches the guard which rests in the joint between the slates or shingles. Neither do I wish to confine myself to the means shown for attaching the guard to the roof, as such means may be varied to conform to the style of and material used in the construction of the roof, as for instance, when the slates are laid upon a roof formed of iron bars the guard will be provided with a hook at the upper end adapted to be hooked upon the iron bars of the roof or the guard may be provided with a loop at the upper end and secured to the roof by means of a nail or screw.

This my improved snow guard is made with less expense, is stronger and consequently more durable than those now upon the market. It is also very effective in the accomplishment of the object for which it is designed.

I am aware that wire guards of different forms have heretofore been made but in none of them is there means used substantially as the part h or its extension 70 to strengthen the guard so as to prevent it from being bent down against the roof.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1. A wire snow guard for roofs, consisting of the portion 0. adapted to rest in the joint between two adjoining slates or shingles of a course, the part b b to secure the guard to the roof, and the portions d,fand h projecting above the roof and forming the guard proper, the portion h forming a brace to strengthen and support the portions (1 andf, substantially as set forth.

2. A wire snow guard for roofs, secured to the roof by suitable fastening devices as described and having the portion (1 projecting upward from the surface of the roof, the portionf extending in a line parallel with the courses of the slates or shingles and the portion h extending obliquely from the portion f to the roof below the portion (Z, for the purpose set forth. 7 r r r 3. A wire snow-guard for roofs, secured to the roof by suitable fastening devices as described, having the portions d,f and it projecting above the roof, forming the guard proper, the portion h forming a brace to strengthen and support the portions 01 andf and the portion 70 extending along the surface of the roof to the portion d for the purpose set forth.

4. A wire snowguardfor roofs, secured to the roof by suitable fastening devices as described, having the portions d, fand hprojecting above the roof, forming the guard JOHN H. HILLER. In presence of HENRY CHADBOURN, ANNA M. DOLLOFF. 

